According to the schedule published on its website, the USA Computing Olympiad (USACO) consists of online programming contests held four times a year. In the 2025-26 season, for example, the four contests took place on these dates: the first from January 9 to 12, the second from January 30 to February 2, the third from February 20 to 23, and the US Open on March 28, in a proctored format. The specific dates for the new season are subject to announcement on the official website.
Who Is Affected by the 2026-27 USACO season
Middle and high school students focused on computer science: Three of the season’s contests fall within six weeks, so skills must be ready before December.
Students who were in the Platinum division last season: The official notes state that participants who were in Platinum last season are reset to Gold at the start of the new season.
What to Do Now About the 2026-27 USACO season
Treat the first contest as a real competition, not as practice. USACO uses a four-division structure of Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, and promotion happens within the season: a student who reaches the promotion cutoff in one contest competes at the higher division in the next one. Performance in the first contest directly determines how far a student can advance over the whole season.
Complete full timed practice sets in December. Contests during the season are only two to three weeks apart, which leaves no room for major improvement; work during the season is about maintaining form and filling specific gaps.
Plan around school finals. January and February are also the period of final exams and the start of the new semester at Irvine high schools.
Confirm the contest rules. The length of each contest, the number of problems, and the permitted programming languages are governed by the Details and FAQ pages on the official website and may change from season to season.
For the season rhythm and a full-year preparation timeline, see How the USACO Season Is Structured. For an introductory course, see USA AI Olympiad Intro. For an overview of computer science competitions, see Computer Science Competitions.
Sources
- USACO: Contests (accessed September 27, 2026)
- CSU Transfer Priority Filing Ends Nov. 30CSU priority filing for fall 2027 transfer applicants ends November 30, 2026; $70 per campus. ADT admission guarantee, upper-division requirements, and next steps.
- Notre Dame REA Nov. 1; Tests Required Fall 2028Notre Dame Restrictive Early Action closes November 1, 2026. Scores stay optional this cycle; SAT or ACT is required for fall 2028 entry. Dates, essays, and rules.
- Pomona Two Essays, Early Decision Due Nov. 8Pomona College Early Decision I closes November 8, 2026, decisions by December 15. Two supplement prompts of 150 and 250 words, plus recommendation and testing rules.
- Portola High Financial Aid Workshop Oct. 19Portola High School holds a mandatory financial aid workshop for all seniors on October 19, 2026, led by Irvine Valley College, with FSA ID creation. Parent steps first.
